Church Of St Bartholomew

Church of St Bartholomew

Parish church. Probably a 13th-century shell remodelled in the early 16th century. Coursed and squared limestone and sandstone rubble with ashlar quoins and dressings; lead-covered roofs. The building comprises a west tower, a 3-bay nave with south porch and north aisle, a single-bay chancel, and a north chapel.

West tower: Three stages with belfry band and moulded parapet string beneath a crenellated parapet with corner pinnacles. The pointed west window features cusped Y-tracery and hollow chamfered surround. Single-light loops light the second stage. The belfry openings are pointed with cusped Y-tracery. Mutilated corner gargoyles exist at both belfry and parapet levels.

Nave: Square-headed windows of three 3-centred arch lights with hollow chamfered mullions. The westernmost window is pointed with two trefoil arch lights and quatrefoil over, a hollowed surround, and hollow-chamfered mullion. A blocked door sits below the central window. The porch has a pointed opening and pine gate.

North aisle: Square-headed windows of three 4-centred lights. The easternmost window has three cinquefoil-headed lights beneath a 3-centred head with hollow-chamfered surround.

Chancel: The south window has two lights with 4-centred heads and a hollow-chamfered mullion. The east window has an almost semicircular head with four cinquefoil-headed lights and cusped intersecting tracery incorporating quatrefoils.

North chapel: The north side has a square-headed window to the west with two 4-centred lights and a hollow-chamfered surround. A pointed window to the east has a hollow chamfered surround and cusped Y-tracery incorporating a quatrefoil. A blocked pointed doorway occupies the centre. The east window has a roughly 4-centred head with three cinquefoil arch lights.

Interior: The north arcade comprises two double-chamfered pointed arches and a central octagonal pier with moulded capital. A pointed and double-chamfered chancel arch springs from engaged semi-octagonal columns. A pointed and double-chamfered tower arch is present. The roofs of the nave, aisle, and chancel are of low pitch with cambered tie beams, ridge piece, and one pair of purlins, all members moulded.

Fittings: A 16th-century octagonal stone font with moulded base, trefoil-headed panels to the pedestal, and quatrefoil panels containing shields on the basin. A 17th-century oak pulpit, semi-octagonal with panelled sides. 17th-century oak benches and stalls, some with poppyheads. 17th-century oak screens to the chancel and north chapel with curved foliage decoration and open panels containing Perpendicular tracery; the chancel screen has late 19th-century decorative wrought iron gates. 17th-century oak panelling in the chancel. A 17th-century oak altar rail and gate with bobbin turned balusters.

Monuments: The Basset tomb commemorates William Basset (died 1601), his wife Judith Corbet (died 1640), and his son-in-law Henry Howard (died 1616). It is constructed of alabaster with a rectangular plan and Corinthian arcade at each end supporting shields. Three recumbent figures lie on it—William Basset in the centre, raised above the other two—with two kneeling daughters at their heads. A marble wall plaque commemorates Thomas Thompkins (died 1640). Wall plaques mark Richard Taylor (died 1737) and Sarah Challinor (died 1745/6).

Stained glass: A good east window of 1865.

The church is graded I for its generally unaltered medieval and 16th-century fabric and interior features.